In 2001, the world witnessed the danger posed by a bioterrorism attack. Beginning in the fall of 2001, a series of letters containing spores from the bacterium Bacillus anthracis were sent through the U.S. Postal system. Handlers and recipients of certain of these letters contracted anthrax, with more than 20 becoming ill and five dying.
This incident posed a number of challenges to those tasked with the responsibility for remediation. These included: (a) devising a method for treating mail that had either been exposed to anthrax spores, or where there was at least a concern of potential exposure; (b) devising and demonstrating a method for decontaminating vehicles used to transport such mail for decontamination or otherwise; (c) decontaminating a facility where there has been a bioterrorism attack or at least the possibility of one; and (d) devising a decontamination method for persons (including specifically their protective gear) who are required to enter a facility where there has been a possible bioterrorism attack.
These methods address the need for effective responses to bioterrorism. They have application not only to mail items, vehicles and facilities, but to other targets of bioterrorism. Further, they have application to anthrax-type bioterrorism attacks, as well as attacks utilizing other biological agents.